In Need of a Vet-The Begining
by blackriddlerose
Summary: This story takes places a couple years before the one with Law and Bepo. It is about Marco and his case of the bird flu


One Piece fanfic- In Need of a Vet… The Beginning

Rygin picked up the last grocery bag and turned toward the vet clinic he lived at. To get there, though, he had to pass through the piers. He hated this most because it was always crowded, and being seven, it means you get pushed aside a lot, and none to gently either.

Gathering himself, he walked down the cobblestone road toward the piers. Rounding the corner of the dentist's office he stared in utter disbelief. The piers where empty, well mostly. Looking around at the ships he noticed why. One ship, the biggest, had whitebeard's insignia on it. Rygin broke into a dead sprint toward the clinic, but laden down with grocery bags, it was more of a jogging waddle.

Rayven was looking thoroughly at some x-rays when Rygin busted through the door. "Rayven, whitebeard pirates are in town," the young boy yelled before gasping for air.

"I'm aware that they're in town; now go put the groceries up sweetie." Noting her calmness, Rygin calmed down a bit himself and headed upstairs to the fridge to unload the food. As he headed up the stairs he heard the bells on the door chine, announcing the arrival of someone.

Fifteen minutes later Rygin came back down the stairs ready to check on the animals in the clinic and give them their medicine. At the foot of the stairs was the lounge area where clients could wait. It consisted of two chairs and a matching couch with a table in the center. The inspection table was in plain view so the owners could watch what was happening to their pets. Normally the clinic wasn't crowded, but Rygin saw that every seat was taken, what was odd though was that there were no animals on the inspection table.

Looking at the people with closer scrutiny, Rygin recognized them as members of the whitebeard crew, high ranking members at that. It took a moment to sink in, but when it did, the young boy ran screaming to Rayven, and hid behind her legs.

"Honestly sweetie, you get scared to easily. These pirates won't hurt us," the vet said placing a hand on the boy's head.

"What about the Marines that come looking for them?"

"The marines are likely to check here. Now you have medicine to distribute, so get to it," the young woman said as she stepped to the side and gave a light kick to the boy's rear end.

She watched him disappear behind the corner before surveying the pirates; Ace, spread out on the couch with Marco and Joza in the chairs. What on earth is this place coming to? "So what can I help you boys with?"

"I've been feeling bad for a while now and our doctor doesn't know what's wrong with me," Marco said awkwardly.

"So you think it's…Phoenix related?"

"…Yes."

"Well, I wasn't trained to treat mythical or extinct creatures, but I can take a crack at it. First off, what are your symptoms?"

"Well, chest pains, random fevers, breathing problems, swelling, and a change in the color of my flames."

"Swelling where? Color change to what?"

"Hands and feet. Blue to a dark purple."

Rayven nodded thoughtfully as she grabbed her stethoscope, running lists in her head of possible answers. Placing the stethoscope on her unusual patient's head, she said, "Deep breath…good…hold it…release it slowly…good…repeat." The pirate did as he was told.

"Oh, and he has had a couple of mood swings lately, too," Ace said, from a very relaxed position on the couch. Rayven looked at the man who was stretched out on the couch, to Jozu, who nodded his agreement.

"I haven't had any mood swings!" Marco said angrily.

"Have too," mocked Ace.

As Marco opened his mouth to respond Rayven stuck a Popsicle stick into his mouth to hold his tongue down and said, "Say 'aaahhhh'." Again he did as he was told but this time while shooting death glares at Ace, who was busy snoring silently on the couch. Rayven arched an eyebrow at him, but said nothing.

"He's narcoleptic," Jozu offered as an explanation.

"I heard rumors, but you know how truthful those tend to be," she replied while removing the Popsicle stick from Marco's mouth.

"Do you know what's wrong?" he asked.

"I have a good guess, but I need to ask a few more questions to be sure. First, other than the color of your wings, have the 'feathers' on them looked different?"

"They have looked a little ruffled."

"Okay, second question, have you noticed any difference in your egg production?" Rayven's face giving away no signs of her jest.

"What?! I'm a male in case you haven't noticed! I don't lay eggs!" Marco yelled as he stood up and gestured to his flat chest, his face red with embarrassment and anger. The loud laughter from the now awake Ace and Jozu didn't help the matter either.

"I was just kidding you, calm down sweetie. You have the bird flu, by the way."

"That's it?! Why couldn't our doctor figure that out?" Jozu asked incredulous.

"Well because the symptoms are those of bird not a human, but I believe a human treatment will work on you, but to be safe, I'm giving you medicine that I use for the chickens. It still remains contagious to humans as well though, so you will have to stay here for a few days in solitary. Don't worry; I won't stuff you in a cage- Where'd Ace go?"

Jozu and Marco looked at the empty couch, then around the clinic, then to each other before Jozu asked "Do you have a lock on your fridge?"

"I'm adding that to your bill," Rayven said flatly, knowing perfectly well what they meant.

"We understand," they said unanimously.

"Jozu, go get Ace and head back to the ship. Tell everyone I'm going to be here for a couple days and to move somewhere else before we cause an incident," Marco ordered. Turning to Rayven, he asked, "How long will it take to make medicine?"

"Well, I have nothing really to get rid of it. Because it's a flu, the symptoms can be suppressed but it's your body that has to deal with it. I can make something to help with your symptoms, but it will take about half an hour for me to alter the medicine I have to fit you."

"Sure, I'll take some."

Jozu walked down the stairs, an unconscious Ace slung over his shoulder. Again, we are really sorry about him, and we will compensate you for the food," he said before heading back to the ship.

"Well make yourself comfy, the couch is yours for the next three days, and I'll bring ou out a pillow and a blanket later, "Rayven said before heading to the back of the clinic where the animals and medicine was kept.

Half an hour later, Rayven and Rygin came out of the back room to see Marco in the chair reading a magazine and Ace asleep on the couch again. Rayven sighed, as she realized the whole solitary confinement wasn't going to work with Fire Fist around.

"I'm hungry, what should we eat for lunch Rayven?" Rygin said with a hand on his gurgling stomach.

"Well, why don't we go out for lunch?"

"Why? I just brought back groceries this morning, so we have enough food."

"Not anymore sweetie," Rayven replied.

"Whatcha mean not anymore?!" Rygin asked franticly before he noticed Rayven point a finger at the sleeping Ace.

In disbelief he ran upstairs to see for himself. Marco noticed Rayven count down from five with her fingers. At zero, a yell was heard, "Not my candy bars! Fire Fist!"

"Did we tell you how sorry we are?" Marco asked when he saw the young boy stomp down the stairs, smoke practically coming out of his ears and nose from anger.

"You will pay Fire Fist," Rygin swore to the still sleeping Devil Fruit user before stomping out of the clinic, Rayven right behind him. "We'll be back in an hour or so, and don't forget to take your medicine that I put on the table," Rayven called as she closed the clinic's door.

"Thanks," Marco called back as he stared at the glass of water and two pills, wondering when she put them there. Looking toward Ace he chuckled, "I can't wait to see what your newfound enemy has in store for you."

Rayven opened the door to the clinic, a tray of food in her other hand. "We're back and I brought some extra food for you, which will be added to your bill."

Rygin walked in behind, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Thanks for the food," Marco said, accepting it from Rayven's outstretched arm.

"I see Ace is still sleeping. Perfect for Rygin," Rayven said, leaving to the back of the room to check on the animals.

She came out a couple minutes later with a small, black kitten in her arms, just in time to see Rygin spray some whipped cream on Ace's hand.

"Oh dear," she said as she put the kitten on the inspection table. But she did nothing to stop it, neither did Marco. Even the kitten looked on at the scene with amusement in her eyes.

Rygin pulled a feather out of his pocket and oh so carefully slid it down the side of Fire Fist's face. Nothing happened, so he tried again, and again, and again. Finally, he elicited a response, just not the intended one. Ace was supposed to smash the whipped cream into his face, instead he sneezed.

For a normal person, that isn't a big deal, but Ace isn't a normal person to say the least. As he sneezed, flames shot out of his mouth, small ones, but flames nonetheless, and caught the couch on fire. The startled Logia user tried to put the flames out, but succeeded in making them worse.

Rygin had the 'oh shit, I'm screwed' look on his face as he stood there too stunned to do anything. Marco sat there for a second before realizing the danger. He pulled Ace away from the couch and dumped his glass of water on the biggest flame, which sizzled and smoked, but stay alight.

"Enough now!" barked Rayven as she held the terrified kitten close to her chest. Everyone froze; even the flames seemed to stop moving. She snapped her fingers and the flames died down immediately, leaving the pirates to wonder how.

"Ace, leave now, Marco is supposed to be in solitary confinement so he doesn't infect others. Marco, sit back down and rest. Rygin, take this little girl back to her cage and bring out the Border collie, his owner is coming soon to pick him up." Rayven watched as everyone scrambled around, following her orders without question.

A week later, Rayven deemed Marco fit enough to leave and she accompanied him to the ship to collect her pay. She stood on the deck in front of Whitebeard, 'the world's strongest man', while Marco counted out the money. Now, most people would be terrified, but Rayven was perfectly fine, because unbeknownst to the rest of the crew, she and Whitebeard had met before.

"You can't possibly be the little girl I met all those years back?" Whitebeard said, his voice loud and clear, causing everyone to stop what they were doing. "Silvers Rayven, how you look like your mother yet take after your father. I'm still surprised Rayleigh had a kid, even after all these years."

"My old man has a few secrets up his sleeve, and is still a ladies man believe it or not," Rayven responded, a fond smile on her lips. "And what of you pops, how is your health?"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, and hold up!" Ace interjected. "You're the Dark King's Daughter?" he said with utter disbelief as he got closer for a better inspection. A split second later he was on his back ten yards away by Marco, even more confused.

"I like my personal space."

The ship started to rock as Whitebeard erupted with laughter at Ace's encounter. "You truly do live up to what your father named you, Miss Haki Master. Why don't you join my crew and be my first daughter, you can teach these sons of mine some manners?"

"Thanks for the offer, but all I asked was how your health is. I'm fine here though. I only interfere with pirate affairs when it suits me," Rayven said with her own mischievous grin as she took the bag of money from Marco's outstretched hand.

She walked to the railing on the side of the ship, and with one last wave to everyone, melted into the wind as her body transformed.

"What did she just do?" Marco asked stunned.

"She turned herself into Haki. I knew she would figure that trick out sooner or later. I remember when she was trying to do it twenty something years ago."

"How is that even possible? What type of Haki does she have?" Marco asked incredulous.

"She isn't the Haki Master for nothing," Whitebeard said more to himself than as an answer to Marco's question.

"Who gave her that name?"

"Sengoku, Roger, Rayleigh, and myself, when she was three."

"I still don't get how this is possible?"

"It's in her blood," Whitebeard replied.

"In her blood?"

"There is an island not far from Raftel that is home to a tribe of Haki users whose Haki is more powerful than anyone else All of the children are taught Haki at early ages so that by the time they turn fifteen, they are masters, capable of doing anything imaginable with Haki. Rayven's mother was from that island. Normally half bloods don't acquire the island's Haki, but since Rayleigh has Haki, she acquired it. But being a half blood, she and her mother were forced into exile by the islands people. They like to keep their bloodlines pure, so they don't want any more impurities by keeping the two there."

"What happened to her mother?"

"She died from a disease when Rayven was a roughly a year old," Whitebeard responded, the sadness in his voice evident.

"This still seems impossible to me."


End file.
